An occlusion effect mitigation device for an earpiece

Abstract

A hearing protection device that provides mitigation of an occlusion effect (OE) includes either an eartip for insertion into an ear canal or an over-the-ear cup having an internal member for covering an ear. The eartip and the internal member provide a medial surface. A plurality of resonator cavities are in fluid communication with the medial surface and each absorb an acoustic frequency to reduce, in combination, the occlusion effect.

1 . A hearing protection device providing mitigation of an occlusion effect (OE), the device comprising:
 for sound reduction, one of:
 (i) an ear tip for insertion into an ear canal, the ear tip providing a medial surface having a side facing an ear canal; and 
   (ii) an over-the-ear cup having an internal member for covering an ear, the internal member providing a medial surface having a side facing an ear canal; and   a plurality of resonator cavities in fluid communication with said side facing an ear canal of said medial surface, said resonator cavities each arranged to absorb from said ear canal an acoustic frequency below 1000 Hz and combine to reduce said OE at frequencies below 1000 Hz.   
     
     
         2 . The device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of resonator cavities are four in number. 
     
     
         3 . The device as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said plurality of resonator cavities are arranged as adjacent parallelepiped chambers. 
     
     
         4 . The device as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said resonator cavities are configured to absorb at about 250 Hz, about 350 Hz, about 550 Hz and about 800 Hz. 
     
     
         5 . The device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of resonator cavities comprise a first resonator cavity tuned for a range of about 225 Hz to 275 Hz with a second resonator cavity tuned to twice the frequency of the first resonator cavity, so as to subsequently reduce the coupling between the first resonator cavity and the ear canal cavity so as to reduce said occlusion effect within a range of 100 Hz to 900 Hz. 
     
     
         6 . The device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of resonator cavities are each in direct fluid communication with said medial surface. 
     
     
         7 . The device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein one of said plurality of resonator cavities is in direct fluid communication with said medial surface, and at least one other of said plurality of resonator cavities is connected to said one of said plurality of resonator cavities in series. 
     
     
         8 . The device as defined in  claim 1 , comprising said ear tip. 
     
     
         9 . The device as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said device is configured to be supported by said ear tip inserted in said ear canal. 
     
     
         10 . The device as defined in  claim 8 , wherein said device is configured to be supported by a headband connected to said plurality of resonators. 
     
     
         11 . The device as defined in  claim 1 , comprising said over-the-ear cup. 
     
     
         12 . The device as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said internal member is made of foam. 
     
     
         13 . The device as defined in  claim 11 , wherein said internal member supports an array of said resonator cavities. 
     
     
         14 . The device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of resonator cavities are partially filled with a sound absorbing material, leaving an air gap in each one of said plurality of resonator cavities, each one of said plurality of resonator cavities being configured to provide an effective balance between an energy leakage from each said one of said plurality of resonator cavities to the environment and an energy dissipation within each said one of said plurality of resonator cavities and together produce an acoustic absorption level that is similar to an acoustic absorption level that is provided by air at the medial surface. 
     
     
         15 . The device as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of resonator cavities comprise a neck portion and a cavity portion, with the cavity portion preferably being partially or fully filled with sound absorbing material. 
     
     
         16 . A hearing protection device providing mitigation of an occlusion effect (OE), the device comprising:
 for occluding an ear canal of a wearer and for providing sound reduction of external noise for preventing hearing loss while working in noisy environments, one of:
 (i) an ear tip for insertion into an ear canal, the ear tip providing a medial surface having a side facing an ear canal; and 
 (ii) an over-the-ear cup having an internal member for covering an ear, the internal member providing a medial surface having a side facing an ear canal; and 
   one or more resonator cavities in fluid communication with said side facing an ear canal of said medial surface, said resonator cavities each arranged to absorb from said ear canal an acoustic frequency below 1000 Hz and reduce said occlusion effect at frequencies below 1000 Hz.